


Idle Gossip

by delphically



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-08-06 14:03:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16389083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delphically/pseuds/delphically
Summary: Chloé texts Adrien that she thinks she know who Ladybug is.





	1. Chapter 1

"I know I must be crazy to think of it." 

Chloé Bourgeois hasn't been known to be the most forward thinker (or a thinker at all) but she can't help but wonder out loud. Was it a coincidence? Was it just her imagination playing tricks on her? Was she over thinking the possibility that her idol was not who she believed? Not that she had an idea of the identity of Ladybug was before this moment but -- of all the people it was _her_?

She covers her face with a pillow, screaming into it to muffle the sound. How could it be _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ of all the people in Paris? Marientte: polite, well liked, inspiring, creative and can do no wrong _Marinette_. It was infuriating! She was a hero to her classmates as a civilian and the blessed Hero of Paris. 

And of course, she couldn't just ask her if it was true.

"Ugh, she'd never tell me." She groans, sitting up on her bed and clutching her pillow over her chest. "She'd never trust me with a secret like that."

Not that Chloé could really blame her. Chloé was a bully, loud, rude, abrasive -- all the things that someone shouldn't strive to be. She picks at the fabric, pouting to herself. She could be better. Show the world that she wasn't as horrible as her persona -- but who would believe her? Without thinking, she tosses her pillow aside, diving for her phone at the foot of her bed.

**Adrien.** She rapidly types out. **Are you free from whatever lame activity your dad has you at?** She's pleasantly surprised to see the tell-tale signs of him responding. 

****

****

**Actually? Yes. What's up, Chlo?**

**I think I know who Ladybug is.**

It wasn't even a full second after she sent the text her phone started ringing.

"What do you mean you think you know who Ladybug is?" Adrien manages a harsh whisper, trying to hide that he's on the phone.

"Adrien you can read, right?" She rolls her eyes, grabbing a nail file off her nightstand. "Seriously, I think I know who she is and I don't know if I am crazy or not."

"I'm coming over."

"You better not come through the window again as Chat Noir or I swear I am filming it for all of Pairs."

"It was one time!"

"And I am never letting you live it down. Come through the door like a normal person. I'll order some of that terrible junk food you like."

"Fine! I'll see you soon."


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay so--"

"Wait. Is that a black cat?"

Chloé blinks, before looking at the small, black kitten currently curled up on the edge of her bed. She smiles, reaching to scratch behind his ears before ultimately deciding to leave him alone. Let him sleep, she thinks before she actually has the gall to look shy over it. Adrien continues his expectant look before motioning to the cat again.

"Okay so the local rescue had a black cat adoption day and a certain _black cat_ was there for the event. I just got there after you left and... well I fell in love with him."

Adrien flushes, going a little wide eyed. "You went to the adoption event?"

"Of course. I have to support my best friend some how." She winks. "Now back to _why you're here_! Ladybug."

Right. Refocused he scoots a little closer. "And?! Tell me."

"I am like -- 80% certain that Ladybug is Marinette."

Silence.

"What?"

"Marinette? Like Marinette in our class -- Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

"Yes."

"Sort of clumsy, fashion designer, a little eccentric Marinette?"

"It makes sense." Chloé crosses her arms, pouting. "She's gotten more vocal about doing what's right and standing up to...well me. She's not afraid to speak her mind."

"I don't know, Chlo. I've worked with Ladybug a lot. Do you really think it's her?"

"There's a 20% chance I'm wrong, you know." She points out. "And _I_ know you work with her a lot. I don't know any other person who has grown like that."

"Maybe."

She rolls her eyes a bit. It had to be more obvious. Maybe it's just because she figured out Adrien was Chat Noir. It gave her hope that maybe he was finally able to step out from behind his father's impassiveness and push himself to just be himself. Honestly it made her jealous. Jealous that he could have that freedom. Jealous that he got to work with her hero, Ladybug. Jealous that he's doing so much good while she-- she was not. 

"How did you figure out I was Chat Noir?"

She sighs, reaching for her nail file again. "You kept making up some bogus excuses in class during Akuma attacks. Like it was hard."

"Seriously? Oh geeze."

"You know." She says after a moment, staring at her nails. "I'm not going to tell anyone, right?"

"Never thought you would."

"...so you still trust me?" 

She bites her lip, setting down the file on her bed. That wasn't supposed to come out. Great now Adrien is going to worry about her and he _didn't need to worry_. He had more important things to worry about! Like saving Paris. He didn't need to worry that her mom forgot her birthday again, or that her father brushed if off that she was just busy again and handed over his credit card. She could spite buy things again but that doesn't make the pain go away.

"Oh Chlo. I will always trust you." He says with the softest of smiles that always manages to get her to smile back. "You're my best friend. I'm not going anywhere."


	3. Chapter 3

"So how is Binx?"

"Stupid. He's stupid and I love him."

"Ah, cats. He gets around okay with the one eye?" Adrien smiles, adjusting his backpack on his shoulders.

"Oh totally. I mean it took him a little bit to figure out distances and I posted _way_ too many videos of him missing my bed completely."

Neither of them could help but laugh as she pulls up one of the videos on her instagram page. He was a lively cat, and it was clear that he would be good for her the more she talked about him. Adrien couldn't be more _proud_ of her that she decided to take on the responsibility of owning a pet. After all of her research on the proper food and care-- both of them seemed to be happy. He can't stop smiling, watching as she pulls up another photo of Binx sprawled out on his own bed in the sun, when he spots Marinette and Alya walking up the stairs to the school.

"H-hey. Chlo? Are you _sure_ Marinette is Ladybug?" He leans close to her ear, dropping his voice to a whisper. 

"For the millionth time, yes! I do. I mean just look at her." She gestures towards her. "Slim, pig tails, big blue eyes." She clasps her hands together, batting her eyes at Adrien as he shoves her playfully with a laugh.

"Cut it out -- I was being serious. Look I trust you, but I think I need to figure this one out myself. If she is Ladybug, I'm glad it's her."

"I'm sure you are. Go on and catch up to Nino and them. I'm sure you'd like to talk to them before class starts."

She crosses her arms, smirking a bit as she watches him run after his friends. Wait until she tells him who she thinks Carapace and Rene Rouge are! It all made perfect sense once she watched Ladybug more closely in her day to day. She was, after all, Ladybug's number one fan. Though she couldn't help but wonder, as she gingerly takes the coffee cup from Sabrina as she walks up to greet her, would Ladybug trust her to make her a superhero?

"Chloé?"

"Hmn?" She glances over, taking the first sip.

"You look like you have something on your mind." She says shyly, chewing slightly on her bottom lip. Was she expecting her to complain? 

"Of course I have a lot on my mind. My mother is coming back into town soon." She snaps a bit, trying to cover up what she was really thinking. She has to stop herself as Sabrina reels back just slightly, and she sighs. "But thank you for asking, and for the coffee. I like the almond milk."

"If you ever need to talk, just let me know."

"Of course. Now come on. We need to be fashionably late like _always_."


	4. Chapter 4

“Okay, okay, okay.” Chat Noir balanced along the railing of her balcony, trying to wrap his head around the whole situation. “So if Marinette is Ladybug, then who are Carapace and Rene Rogue?”

“Why are you asking me?” Chloé rolled her eyes, running a brush through her hair for the hundredth time. “I mean it’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“I just don’t know how you figured it all out.” He leaped off the railing, landing perfectly on the floor of the balcony, posing dramatically. 

She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail, admiring herself in the mirror. She had just purchased a new Versace sweater with the head of Medusa on the collar. It was obnoxiously opulent, the black fabric sitting on her hips as she admired the gold thread that embroidered the Gorgon across her chest. She posed, arms up behind her head, turning to look casually over her shoulder as she admiring the design in the mirror. 

“Chlo are you even listening?” Chat asked, exasperated as he finally started walking into her bedroom. “Claws in.” He mutters, and in a quick flash, the disguise was dropped. 

“I am. And I am going to tell you.” She blew a kiss to herself in the mirror. “Do you think I can turn people to stone with this sweater?”

“Not unless you get akumatized again.” Adrien rolled his eyes, before throwing himself across her couch with a groan. “Come _on_ , Chloé!”

“Carapace is Nino and Rene Rogue is Alya.” 

It was a statement, punctuated with an annoyed _click_ from Chloé. obviously, Marinette being Ladybug meant that her friends would clearly get Miraculous over her. She didn’t deserve to be a hero - and yet it was the one thing she so desperately wanted. Prove to the world, her mother– everyone that she could do the right thing.

“ _No_ ” Adrien gasped out, covering his face. “No way! Okay, now you have to be pulling my leg.”

“Maybe.” Chloé took one last look at herself in the mirror, before moving to the couch to take her seat next to Adrien’s head. “But maybe I’m not.”

She winked, and he just shoved her playfully with shouting laughter. He missed days like this, where Chloé could let down her guard and be the girl he grew up with. When had things changed? He’d have to ask her sometime, but for now? He was going to revel in her laughter– he missed hearing it. It was the only time she seemed genuine about her emotions.

“Hey… do you think I’d make a good superhero?” 

Adrien blinked as their laughter died down, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. This was a loaded question, one that deserved and consideration.

“Yeah. I think you would.”

Chloé couldn’t stop the smile that crept across her face as Adrien moved to place his head in her lap. At least someone still believed in her.


End file.
